1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electromagnetic radiation procedural devices and, more particularly, to the use of electromagnetic radiation devices in medical applications.
2. Description of Related Art
A primary causative agent in pulpal and periapical pathosis is inadequate bacteria control. Research has shown that the absence of infection before obturation of a tooth undergoing endodontic treatment can result in a higher success rate, thus indicating the control or elimination of such intracanal pathogens to be advantageous to the generation of a favorable outcome for a given procedure.
The prior art has encompassed various endodontic treatments directed to the attenuation of bacterial counts and adverse symptoms from the root canal system, many being implemented in a relatively nonsurgical or low impact fashion. Typically, clinical endodontic procedures have relied on mechanical instrumentation, mechanical intracanal irrigants, and medicaments to disinfect the root canal system.
Prior-art instrumentation techniques involving hand and/or rotary instruments, as well as ultrasonic and sonic devices, have brought about some success in reducing bacterial loads in infected canals. While such instrumentation techniques of the prior art have not been altogether ineffective, they do tend to fall short of the goal of total or near total disinfection of the root canal system.
In the category of irrigants, agents such as sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine have been implemented in root canal disinfecting treatments with some degree of success. Such agents have been found to be capable, for example, of providing relatively useful antimicrobial effects in certain instances. Here, too, infection of the root canal and adjacent dentin may persist, however, following such applications, owing perhaps to an inability of these agents to reach all the infecting microorganisms.
Regarding the third mentioned category, of medicaments, the use of intracanal medications, such as calcium hydroxide, has typically been ineffective in the context of short-term applications. That is, longer term applications have frequently been indicated as a consequence, for example, of such agents failing to adequately address and eliminate endodontic infections by way of only a few applications. Consequently, such applications in the prior-art have typically required multiple applications, which in turn have required multiple patient visits. These multiple visits, while potentially increasing a rate of effective treatments in connection with medicaments such as calcium hydroxide, can increase treatment time and reduce patient compliance, thus increasing the risk of treatment failure.
Lasers, such as mid-infrared lasers including the Erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandiumgallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser, have been used in root canal procedures involving cleaning, shaping and enlarging of the root canal, as well as in osseous, apical and periodontal surgical procedures. The Er,Cr:YSGG laser is known to be capable of removing calcified hard tissues by emitting a beam of infrared energy at 2.78 μm in combination with an emitted water spray.